This is from a QR messageboard, someone apparently knows someone who's heard the album and this is what that person told them about it. Apparently it's vague because the person didn't want to spoil it, so it may actually all be bullshit.
Quote:
Ok, here's the thing... It's a REALLY strong album! Unbelievable guitars throughout the whole thing. I mean, awesome riffs. Some killer dual solos. Stuff they've been missing on their albums since before Empire. And it's not just a few of them. Its like every song
And it's pretty damn heavy. Definitely heavier than anything they've done since the first Mindcrime. Im not talking heavy in terms of the heavy songs on their later albums.. You know, that newer, cheesy type of heavy with crunchy guitars... Im talking, Classic Queensryche kick ass tunes! A lot of them!
Amazing vocals by Tate. He really sounds great. Not ear-piercing high or anything. At times he sounds like he does on their later stuff. At other times he sounds like he did 20 years ago. Its a good mix. There are incredible backup vocals all over the place. Sometimes it's Tate backing himself up. Sometimes it's the band. Sometimes it's Pamela Moore (she is all over the place on this album), and Sometimes I don't know who the hell it is. But it's really rich and deep sounding throughout the entire album. The lyrics are very intelligent and the story is wild. They really put a lot into this album.
You can tell they intentionally and in subtle ways referenced the original Mindcrime with guitar riffs. But they did it for very short times, and changed them around. They did an amazing job at keeping the album sounding entirely different, yet completely familiar. Sometimes you will listen to a song and all of a sudden during the guitar solo you will get that familiar feeling about the first Mindcrime. Then they change it quick... If you listen to it a few more times, you will pickup where they got it from. But it's usually very subtle. You've heard 'The Hands' that uses the 'Breaking The Silence' riff. It's usually more subtle than that.
It is a bit difficult to understand what Tate is saying. So having the lyrics to put the whole thing together will be important. Having headphones helps a lot.
My major complaint about this album is that the songs are too short. Especially the really killer ones Sometimes you are digging something so much, and then it's over much too quickly. You just want more... But I guess that's a sign of great material.
Also, the songs by themselves are not as strong as the original album. There is no Eyes of a Stranger, or The Mission. Those hooks and killer choruses that you cant stop listening to and singing are in short supply on this album. Its not nearly as catchy. But it's FAR more complex than the original. There is a ton more going on all the time. So I guess what Im trying to say is that for individual song quality and repeatability, the first Mindcrime is much better. The Hands is probably one of the catchier tunes on the album.
But this album isnt really about that.. This is more of a story. It really needs to be listened to like a movie. From start to finish. Individually the songs are great, but together its really intense. 3 or 4 songs buildup to a tune with Tate and Dio that is by far the coolest thing Ive heard in a long time. That tune is unbelievably good. I mean, these two guys go back and forth throughout the entire song, and its just sick. They both sound amazing on this album, and you almost have to wonder why all these 'metal gods' dont do this stuff on albums more often. This song alone makes the album worth buying.
Basically, the album starts with some catchy, hard edged, rock tunes. Then as the album progresses, the complexity of the songs increases. It just keeps increasing until the end of the album. There is so much going on in some of the songs, that you really need good headphones to hear everything. This is not Mindcrime I. Mindcrime I was (to me) a collection of really awesome rock songs that loosely tells a story. This album is more of an overall listening experience
Old fans might not like it as much. It doesnt have a Suite Sister Mary, or an Eyes of a Stranger. But they will like it! They will probably love it! It takes a bunch of listens to digest and figure out.
Listening to this album almost makes it upsetting that Queensryche could've been doing this stuff for the last 3 or 4 albums. They were obviously being very lazy, because this album is light years better than all of them combined!
So basically, this is far from Mindcrime I. The style is different, and it has a more recent Queensryche feel to it. But it also has a ton of the old Queensryche feel as well. That mixed with killer vocals, an amazing story, and simply incredible guitars makes this album incredibly good. Not to mention an emotional roller coaster. They really are good at bringing emotion to their music.
